Carli Lloyd has no doubt she can make the grade on the gridiron.
The United States women’s soccer team star told NBC Sports’ Peter King last week not only does she believe a woman can be an NFL kicker, she’s also certain she has what it takes to be the first to do so. Lloyd shocked onlookers last week by hitting a 55-yard field goal at a Philadelphia Eagles practice, and she subsequently revealed she has received a few inquiries from NFL teams.
The two-time Women’s World Cup winner explained to King why she has no doubts over her NFL potential.
“I know that I could actually probably do it,” Lloyd said when asked whether a woman be a successful NFL kicker. “Put on the helmet, strap on the pads, go for it. The mindset I have, I think with practice, I know I have to work on my steps and my technique, but I think I could do it and do it well.
“It could be a huge pivotal moment. There is no reason why a woman could not do this. And I actually invite the pressure. I love the pressure. When I have to nail something — shooting hoops, ax-throwing, kicking a field goal — that is the moment I live for and want. It comes down to the mind, training the mind. It’s worth having some conversations about it. With practice and someone showing me, I know I can do it. I have one of the most accurate shots in our game. Big thing would be getting used to the big boys out there. But nothing scares me. You hold yourself back if you’re afraid. What’s the worst that can happen? I don’t make the team? Let’s just say I did try. Maybe I change the landscape a lot.”
Perhaps, Lloyd, 37, will end her soccer career after the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo or the 2020 NWSL season. That would give her the better part of nine-plus months to prepare for an NFL tryout in 2021, and we’re not foolish enough to bet against her achieving a goal she sets for herself.
